Parts of Sydney going into lockdown as virus outbreak grows

People queue in their cars to get tested for COVID-19 at a pop-up testing clinic at Bondi Beach in Sydney Friday, June 25, 2021. Parts of Sydney will go into lockdown late Friday after a coronavirus outbreak in Australia’s largest city continued to grow. (Dean Lewins/AAP Image via AP)

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — Parts of Sydney will go into lockdown late Friday as a coronavirus outbreak in Australia’s largest city continued to grow.

Health authorities reported an additional 22 locally transmitted cases and imposed a weeklong lockdown in four areas, saying people could leave their homes only for essential purposes.

The outbreak of the highly contagious delta variant was first detected last week, and 65 people have been infected.

“If you live or work in those local government areas, you need to stay at home unless absolutely necessary,” said Gladys Berejiklian, the premier of New South Wales state.

She said the lockdown, which was due to go into effect just before midnight, would have a significant impact on businesses, especially in the central business district of the city of more than 5 million people.

“This is in order for us to ensure that this doesn’t take a hold for weeks and weeks, and we believe this is a proportionate response to the risk,” Berejiklian said.

Read more: https://apnews.com/article/sydney-coronavirus-pandemic-business-health-6d1407f16307f33a26e25b48aa1cfecd